The Art Of Friendship
by blueturtle14
Summary: A brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, a criminal and an artist have Saturday detention together. During their time together, they learn that they are not as different as they first thought. I know this idea has been done a lot but I thought I'd give it a go. Possible BenderxOC but not sure yet.
1. Prologue

**AN: I know this kind of idea has been done a lot before but I don't think anyone's done the 'Artist'. If anyone has then I'm sorry. I'm not sure whether to make this a Bender X OC or not, let me know what you think. The first few Chapters will be very similar to the movie but after that, it will get more original. Any reviews appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own 'The Breakfast Club'. **

Prologue:

Saturday, March 24th, 1984. Shermer High School, Shermer, Illinois. 60062.  
Dear Mr Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. What we did was wrong.  
But we think you're crazy to make us write this essay telling us who we think we are. What do you care? You see us as you want to see us. In the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions, you see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, a criminal and an artist. Correct? That's they way we saw each other at seven o'clock this morning. We were brainwashed...


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1- Arriving

Shermer High School looked even worse than ever on a Saturday. Durning the week, it was filled with people. Hate, rumours and anger filled the halls and made it difficult to get through the day. The pupils themselves were also filled with hate, rumours and anger. They stuck with their 'friends', the people they fit in with the best and paid no mind to people who were different from them. On weekends, the building was empty and lifeless with no soul in its walls. It was hard to tell which version of the school was worse.

Saturday detentions were a thing that most pupils tended to avoid and there were usually only one or two people in them every week but on this paticular Saturday, there would be six people joining Principle Vernon for detention. All from different parts of the social spectrum.

A BMW sat in the parking lot, a red haired girl sat in the passenger seat, staring up at the school.

"I can't believe you can't get me out of this." She said to her father, "I mean, it's so absurd I have to be here on a Saturday. It's not like I'm defective or anything."

"I'll make it up to you." Her father promised, "Honey, ditching class to go shopping doesn't make you defective. Have a good day."

The girl took her lunch from her dad's hand a climbed out of the car, rolling her eyes.

Another car was also pulled up outside the school. A woman was behind the wheel, asking her teenage son if this was the first or last time they'd be here for Saturday detention.

"The last." Her son answered, his attention on the car window.

"Get in there and use the time to your advantage." The woman continued to nag.

"Mom, we're not supposed to study, we're just supposed to sit there." The boy protested.

"Well, you figure out a way to study." The woman ordered.

"Yeah." The little girl wedged between the two said.

The boy stared at his baby sister before getting out of the car. In the car behind them, a blonde haired boy sat with his father who was lecturing him on how he'd 'screwed around' at school. The boy just nodded.

"Except you got caught." The man said.

"Mum already reamed me, all right." The boy had heard enough of his father.

"You wanna miss a match? You wanna blow your ride? No school's gonna give a scholarship to a discipline case!" The boy faced his father and glared before he got out and headed into school. As his father's car began to drive away, a boy in large gray coat began crossing the road and narrowly avoided being hit by a car that was pulling up outside the school. As the boy walked closer to school. a girl with dark hair emerged from the back of the car and walked to the front window but the car pulled away as quickly as it had let her out. As the girl started to walk away, another girl began approaching the school. She had long, dark hair and was wearing jeans and a black jacket. Her sneakers were coming undone but she didn't bother to retie them as she followed the other girl into the building.

The library where detention was being held was starting to fill up. The red haired girl was already sat on the front row of tables and the boy who's father had lectured him the car motioned to an empty seat on her row. She nodded and he sat down. The boy who's almost gotten run over entered the library, messing with everything on the counter as he passed. He passed the two on the front and instead, motioned for the other boy to move seats. The boy obeyed and his seat was taken. The two remaining detentionees entered, heading for the back rows. The girl who's been ignored by the driver of the car sat two rows behind the 'brain' who's been told to study and kicked out of his seat. The girl in the jeans and black jacket sat on the row behind the 'criminal' who's moved the other boy from his seat.

Mr Vernon swanned into the library and glanced around, making sure all the offenders were present. "Well, well. Here we are." He said, "I want to congratulate you for being on time."

The red haired 'princess' bravely raised her hand. "Excuse me, sir. There's been a mistake. I know it's detention but I don't think I belong in here."

Charity James rolled her eyes from the back row as she watched the Princess. Charity had never been to a Saturday detention before but she didn't really question that she deserved to be here. Charity noticed the untied shoelace and quickly tied it.

Vernon ignored Princess's question and checked his watch. "It is now 7:06." The Brain checked his own watch which made Charity giggle to herself.

"You have exactly eight hours and fifty four minutes to think about why you're here, to ponder the error of your ways."

The criminal spat into the air and attempted to catch his own spit in his mouth. Princess looked away, disgusted.

"You may not talk." Vernon turned a finger on her and then noticed Brain moving seats, "You may not move from these seats."

Brain shuffled back to his original seat as Vernon and moved to Criminal, pulling away the chair that had been supporting his legs.

"And you, will not sleep." He glanced around at them all once again. "All right people, we're going to try something a little different."

"Excuse me, sir." Charity said, "Some of us have never been in here before, how will we know what's normal and what's different?"

"You, will not talk back." Vernon said to her.

She hadn't said it to be cheeky or rude but it probably seemed that way.

"We are going to write an essay." The Principle went on as though nothing had been said, "No less than a thousand words, describing who you think you are."

"Is this a test?" Criminal asked as Vernon placed paper and a pencil on everyone's desk.

"When I say essay, I mean essay." Vernon ignored the question, "I do not mean a single word repeated a thousand times."

Charity smiled a little, she had to give Vernon credit for seeing that as a possible situation.

"Is that clear, Mr Bender?" He asked.

The Criminal now had his feet up on the desk. "Crystal."

"Good." Vernon said, "Maybe you'll learn something about yourself. Maybe you'll decide whether you care to return."

Brain started speaking and Charity blanked out, trying to find a window to gaze out of. There weren't any. She defiantly didn't want to return. Her parents would kill her for a start and she didn't want to spend another Saturday trapped in the library.

"My office is right across that hall." Vernon was saying, "Any monkey business is ill-advised. Any questions?"

"Yeah, I got a question." Bender, the Criminal, said, "Does Barry Manilow know you raid his wardrobe?"

The 'Athlete' on the front row struggled to contain his laughter and Charity bit back hers.

"I'll answer that question, Mr Bender, next Saturday. Don't mess with the bull young man, you'll get the horns." Vernon left the library.

"That man, he's a brownie hound." Bender said.

Charity wasn't sure what a 'brownie hound' was but she still laughed. Bender turned and started for a few seconds, clearly thinking she was some kind of weirdo, and then turned back to the front.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Impregnated

The library stayed very quiet after Vernon left but it didn't look like anyone was writing their essay. Charity folded her legs underneath her and started fiddaling with her necklace. It was a small gold cross that hung on a thin gold chain, a present from her mum on her first communion.

The was a slight clicking sound coming from the back of the library but it didn't really bother Charity.

"You keep eating your hand and you won't be hungry for lunch." Bender spoke.

Charity turned to see the 'Basket Case'- Charity remembered her name was Allison- at the back of the library biting her nails. She turned to Bender and spat her nail at him.

"I've seen you before you know." Bender said to the reclusive girl.

It seemed like a pretty obvious statement, they were in a school and there was only a certain number of people in a school but then again, Charity could only remember Allison's name.

"Who do I think I am?" Came a mumbling from the front.

Charity located the Brain as the source of the voice, he had his pen hooked on his bottom lip.

"Who are you?" He continued to no one in particular, "I'm the Walrus."

He now had his pen stuck up his nose and Bender stared at him. Both boys began removing their jackets in unison and it was rather amusing for Charity to watch. Upon noticing, the Brain stopped taking off his jacket but Bender continued, not taking his eyes from the smaller boy.

"It's the shits, huh?" The Brain commented and he chuckled as Bender turned away.

He screwed a piece of paper into a ball and threw it over Princess's head. Charity pulled her bag onto the table and fished out her sketch pad and pencil, trying to think of what to draw. Someone was humming 'Sunshine of your Love' and Charity knew she'd have it stuck in her head for the rest of the day.

"I can't believe this is really happening to me." Princess muttered from the front.

"If you can't do the time, don't do the crime." Charity said.

Princess turned around and shot her a venomous look. Charity looked down at her pad and pretended to be drawing until the red head turned back to the front.

"Oh shit." Bender said once he'd finished humming. "What are we supposed to do if we have to take a piss?"

"Won't Vernon let you go to the bathroom?" Charity asked

"He won't let _me_ go to the bathroom." Bender replied.

"Oh please." The Princess sighed.

"If you gotta go, you gotta go." Bender unzipped his fly, causing the two richies to turn and look at him in a kind of fear.

"You're not urinating in here, man." Athlete said.

"Don't talk, don't talk it makes it crawl back up." Bender said, prompting another small chuckled from Charity who was watching the scene unfold.

"You whip it out and you're dead before the first drop hits the floor." Sporto threatened.

Bender tilted his head at the other boy, "You're pretty sexy when you're angry, grr."

Sporto turned around and Bender started on a new target, making Charity pleased she's sat behind him, out of his eye line and off his radar.

"Hey, homeboy." Bender said to the Brain, "Why don't you go close that door, we'll get the prom queen impregnated."

'Impregnated', the word hit Charity like a ton of bricks. It reminded her of a home situation that she'd promised her sister she'd help sort out. The conversation had moved on when Charity tuned back in.

"If I lose my temper, you're totalled, man." Sporto said to Bender.

"Totally?" Bender asked.

"Totally." The Jock repeated, nodding.

The Athlete was falling right into Bender's trap, giving him the reaction he wanted but it was amusing to watch. Princess had figured this out.

"Why don't you just shut up? No body here's interested."

Bender pulled a face, pretending to be hurt.

"Really." Sporto said. "Butt face."

"'Butt face', what are you? Five?" Charity muttered from the back.

"Well, hey Sporto, what you do to get in here?" Bender asked, "Forget to wash your jock?"

"Excuse me, fellas," The Nerd interrupted, "But I think we should just write our papers."

"Are you going to write yours?" Charity asked, leaning forward to start a conversation with the Brain.

"Vernon expects us to." Brain replied, turning to Charity.

"I don't even know what to write." Charity shrugged.

"You want some help?" Brain asked.

Charity shook her head but smiled gratefully, "What's your name?"

"Brian, Brian Johnson." He told her.

"I'm Charity James." She said.

"So, so," Bender had changed the topic of his conversation with the two on the front row, "Are you guys like boyfriend, girlfriend? Steady dates? Lo-overs?" He stretched out the word, "Come on, Sporto. Level with me. Do you slip her the hot beef injection?"

"Go to Hell!" Princess screamed, turning on Bender.

"Enough!" The Athlete managed to keep some calmness in his voice.

"Hey!" Came a shout from Vernon's office, "What's going on in there?"


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Clubs Statues

Bender got to his feet and moved to perch on a railing near the front of the library.

"What do you say we close that door? Can't have a party with Vernon checking us out every few seconds."

"Well, you know the door's supposed to stay open." Brian offered.

"So?" Bender asked.

"So why don't you just shut up?" Sporto snapped, "There's five other people in here you know."

"God, you can count." Bender said, "I knew you had to be smart to be a... a wrestler."

A wrestler? Charity remembered that she did know the jock's name, it was Andrew Clark.

"Who the hell are you to judge anyone anyway?" Andrew asked.

"Well, who the Hell are you to judge?" Charity asked.

Andrew turned to her and gave her a filthy look.

"Just because you you're the schools wrestling star doesn't mean you can come in here a judge." Charity said.

Andrew turned back to Bender.

"Bender, you don't even count. If you disappeared forever it wouldn't make any difference. You may not even exist at this school."

_'Because your existence is so crucial'_ Charity thought but she kept quiet.

"Well, I'll just run right out and join the wrestling team." Bender countered.

Andrew and Princess snorted to each other.

"The prep club too." Bender continued, "Student Council."

"They wouldn't take you." Andrew said.

"I'm hurt." Bender said, his tone implying he was anything but.

"You know why guys like you knock everything?" Princess asked.

"Oh, this should be stunning." Bender mumbled.

"It's 'cause you're afraid."

"Oh, you richies are so smart, that's exactly why I'm not heavy in the activities."

"You're a big coward." Princess said.

"I'm in the math club." Brian said.

"I'm in the art club," Charity started another conversation with Brian, "And I'm a photographer for the school paper."

"I'm in the physics club too." Brian said to Charity.

"Excuse me a sec." Bender said to Princess before turning to Brian and Charity, "What are you two babbling about?"

"Well what I said was I'm in the math club, the Latin club and the physics club and she said she was in the art club and takes photographs for the school paper." Brian recited the conversation to Bender.

"Hey, Cherry." Bender caught Princess's attention, "Do you belong to the Physics club?"

"That's an academic club." She sounded disgusted by the idea.

"So?" Bender pushed her for an answer.

"So academic clubs aren't the same as other kinds of clubs." Princess explained.

"Ah, but to dorks like him, they are." Bender said.

Princess glanced around the room, unable to reply and hoping the words would appear out of thin air.

"What do you guys do in your club?" Bender turned his attention to Brian.

"Well... at Physics club, um... we talk about physics. Properties of physics." Brian stammered.

"So it's sort of social, Bender said, "Demented and sad but social."

"Well, I guess you could consider it a social situation," Brian replied, "I mean, there are other children in my club and uh, and at the end of the year we have, you know, a massive banquet at the, er, the Hilton."

"You load up, you party." Bender cut in.

"Well, we get dressed up but, uh, we don't, we don't get high." Brian explained.

"Only burners like you get high." Princess narrowed her eyes at Bender who stared at her.

Brian began describing the banquet whilst Bender and Princess went on staring at each other. "And I didn't have any shoes so I had to borrow my dad's. It was kinda weird because my mom doesn't like me to wear other people's shoes. Then my, um, my cousin- Kendal- from Indiana, he got high once..."

Brian continued to babble about his cousin's drug experience. Charity watched as Allison pretended to fire a finger gun on Brian.

"Look, you guys keep up your talking and Vernon's gonna come right in here. I've got a meet this Saturday and I'm not gonna miss it on account of you bone heads." Andrew said.

"Wouldn't that be a bite, huh. Missing a whole wrestling meet." Bender said.

"You wouldn't know anything about it faggot, you never competed in your life." Andrew glared at Bender.

"Oh, I know," Bender pretended to get upset, "I feel all empty inside because of it. I have such a deep admiration for guys who roll around on the floor with other guys."

Charity zoned out of the conversation and turned back to her sketch pad and began to draw the ugly statue at the back of the library, glancing over her shoulder every now and then to see it. She wondered what, if anything, it was supposed to be. A scratching sound came from the back and Charity tilted her head to see that Allison was also drawing but she couldn't see what.

Everyone glanced to the door as movement sounded from Vernon's office. Bender claimed a seat in-between Princess and Andrew. Vernon vanished again and Charity continued drawing the statue.

"There's not supposed to be any monkey business." Brian said and Charity looked up to see Bender walking towards the door.

Great, he was going to earn everyone another week in detention.

"Young man, have you finished your paper?" Bender put on a teacher's voice.

"Have you?" Charity asked.

"Why? Have you?" Bender asked.

He reached the door and scanned the corridor, it must have been clear because he started doing something to the top of the door.

"Come on, Bender don't screw around!" Andrew called.

"You're gonna get us all in more shit!" Charity joined in.

"What's he gonna do?" Princess asked.

"Drop dead I hope." Andrew said to her.

The protests continued but Bender didn't stop.

"I know what I'm doing, okay." "Well, this is your second home." Andrew muttered.

"Bender, that's... that's school property." Brian called, "You know, it doesn't belong to us, it's not to be toyed with."

Bender had pocketed something and was walking back to his seat. "That's very funny, come on fix it." Andrew demanded.

"You should really fix that." Brian supported the Athlete.

"Am I a genius?" Bender asked, sitting down on his original row.

"No, you're an asshole now fix the door!" Andrew said.

"What a funny guy." Bender put on a goofy voice.

"Fix the door!" Bender began to get slightly concerned, "Okay, everyone shh."

"No, not until you fix the door." Andrew argued.

"I know what I'm doing, I've been here before."

"No! Fix the door!"

"Shut Up!"

Vernon's voice sounded from outside, "God Dammit!"


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- Detentions and Headaches.

The door swung open and Vernon entered.

"Why is that door closed?" He demanded as everyone fell silent, "Why is that door closed?"

"How are we supposed to know?" Bender faked innocence, "We're not supposed to move, right."

"Why?" Vernon asked Princess.

"We were just sitting here like we're supposed to." She said.

"No one's moved, sir." Charity backed her up.

Vernon still looked doubtful as he moved onto Brian.

"Who closed that door?"

Brian looked startled and a little terrified, "Me?" "I think a screw fell out of it." Bender offered.

Andrew began speaking, "It just closed, sir."

"We would have opened it again but we're not supposed to move." Charity said.

"Who!" Vernon still wasn't convinced.

Allison squeaked and slammed her head onto the desk, her hood falling down to cover it.

"She doesn't talk, sir." Bender said.

Everyone shared nervous looks with each other.

"Give me it." Vernon ordered.

"I don't have it." Bender had his head bent.

"You want me to yank you out of that seat and shake it out of ya?"

"I don't have it, screws fall out all the time the world's an imperfect place."

"Give it to me, Bender." Vernon was getting really angry.

"Excuse me, sir." Princess chipped in, "Why would anybody want to steal a screw?"

"Watch it." Vernon warned before walking over to the door. Everyone watched intently as Vernon attempted to prop the door open with a folding plastic chair.

"The door's way too heavy, sir." Bender protested.

Vernon ignored him and stood in the corridor, admiring his work. The door slammed shut, sending the chair flying down the corridor and blocking Vernon from view. Allison's mouth hung open and everyone else struggled to contain their laughter as the Principle entered the room again.

"Andrew Clark!" He called, surprising the jock, "Get up here. Come on, front and centre."

Obediently. Andrew got to his feet and went to join Vernon at the door.

"Hey, how come Andrew gets to get up?" Bender questioned, "If he gets up, we'll all get up. It'll be anarchy."

By now, the two at the front were attempting to wedge the door open with a magazine rack. The Princess smirked as Andrew attempted to climb back into the library but slipped against the magazine rack.

"That's very clever, sir," Bender spoke again, "But what if there's a fire? I think breaking fire codes and endangering the lives of children would be unwise at this junction in your career."

"Alright, what are you doing with this?" Vernon tried to pin the blame on Andrew, "Get this out of here, for God's sake. What's the matter with you? Come on."

"Well, you know the school come equip with fire exits at either end of the library." Brian informed.

"Show Dick some respect." Bender turned to Brian.

Vernon was now escorting Andrew back to his seat in disgrace.

"I expected a little more from a Varsity letterman." He said before addressing the Criminal, "You're not fooling anyone, Bender. The next screw that falls out is gonna be you."

Bender muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Eat. My. Shorts."

"You just bought yourself another Saturday." Vernon pointed a finger at Bender.

"I'm crushed."

"You just bought yourself one more."

"Well I'm free the Saturday after that but beyond that I'm gonna have to check my calender." What was he doing?

"Good, 'cause it's gonna be filled." Vernon said.

Things went on like this until Bender had a total of 8 detention- or 7 according to Brian's count- which was probably a school record. Spending two months of Saturdays with Vernon was not appealing.

"You're mine Bender, for two moths I got ya." Vernon said.

"What can I say? I'm thrilled." Bender clearly wasn't 'thrilled'.

"I'm sure that's exactly what you want these people to believe. You ought to spend a little more time trying to do something with yourself and less time trying to impress people, you might be better off." The whole time Vernon was talking, Bender was looking anywhere but at him.

Vernon addressed the whole room, "I'm gonna be right outside that door. The next time I have to come in here, I'm cracking sculls."

Bender mouthed the last part along with him, probably used to Vernon's phrases by the amount of time he spent in detention with him. As the older man left the room, Allison sat up and let her hood fall back down.

"FUCK YOU!" Once Vernon had closed the door, Bender yelled so loud it triggered a headache in Charity and she rubbed her temples, hoping she had some aspirin.

She thought Vernon would come back and start yelling which would worsen the headache but he'd probably had enough of dealing with Bender today. Maybe he had a headache too.

"Fuck." Bender whispered to himself.

"Does anyone have any aspirin?" Charity asked after she finished her drawing and dropped her sketch pad onto the desk.

"No." Everyone- except Allison- said at the same time.

Charity sighed, it was going to be a long day.

**AN: Hope any readers are enjoying so far. Hopefully, things will get more original from here. I'll have more time to write now that school's broken up for summer. Enjoy.**


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5- That's me!

Passing the time was not easy in the library. There were books- obviously- but Charity knew reading would trigger her headache again and she had just gotten rid of it. The clock read quatre to eight and the minute hand didn't seem to be moving very fast. Charity opened her sketch pad to a fresh page, deciding to draw the people around her.

She started with light skecths, outlines, deciding to add detail to them later. She sketched Bender lighting a fire on his shoe to light a cigarette and suddenly remembered that she had a pack buried in the bottom of her bag. She didn't smoke regually, just on occasion with her best friend (who did smoke often). The packet of cigarettes in her bag had been bought two months previously and she'd smoked three so far. It gave her a sense of freedom and helped her forget about things she didn't want to think about it. Her parents rarely checked her bag so she was farely safe.

Once she'd sketched the outline of Bender, she sketched Princess- who's name she still couldn't remember- who was daydreaming with her head on her hand and a distant look in her eyes. It must have been nice to daydream, to escape reality and pass the time more effectively.

Next, she sketched Andrew who was playing with the strings of his jacket in an amusing fashion. He was harder to sketch because of the fast movement of his hands.

She then moved on to sketch Allison who was carrying on with her drawing. It felt strange, drawing someone who was drawing. A drawing within a drawing. Thinking about it too much made Charity slightly giddy. Allison shook her hair, causing dandruff to fall onto the paper, easily the most weird and creative thing Charity had ever seen.

Brian was the last person she sketched, half asleep with a pencil in his hand.

She went back to add detail to the pictures when she too felt her eyelids get heavy. It had been four o'clock when the sound of her little sister, Jessica, had woken her up with the sound of being sick in the bathroom. She sat in her sister's room with her for an hour, scared that their parents had heard, before she had to get ready for her day in detention.

...

When Vernon came into the library, suspicious of the quietness, it was to find everyone asleep, their heads down on the desks.

"Wake up!" He demanded with no luck. "Who has to go to the lavatory?"

Six hands shot into the air, so quickly that Vernon wondered if the kids have ever been asleep at all.

"Right, with me." Vernon said.

The six detentionees followed Vernon from the room and he led them to the bathrooms. The girl's and boy's bathrooms were directly opposite each other so Vernon waited outside whilst Brian, Bender and Andrew entered the boy's and Princess, Allison and Charity entered the girl's.

The girl's bathroom at Shermer High School was a dank place with makeup smeared on the mirrors and soggy toilet roll in the sinks. When Charity entered the room, Allison and Princess were both locked in their cubicles and Charity locked herself in the remaining cubicle. She sank onto the lid of the toilet, not really needing to go to the toilet.

The bathroom doors were scrawled with messages in permanent marker, one of them read 'Andrew Clark' with a heart underneath. Charity smiled until another message caught her eye. 'Jessica James is a slag' it read. She knew that some people had found about her sister but word hadn't spread too far and Charity intended to keep it that way. Her bag was in the library but she had a permanent marker in her pocket which she used to scribble out the message.

The toilets inhabited by Allison and Princess flushed within a few seconds of each other and Charity realised she did need to go after all. She quickly relieved herself and flushed the toilet before crossing the sinks where Allison was washing her hands and Princess was applying makeup.

"I didn't get your name." Princess said, surprising Charity.

"Charity James." Princess smiled in greeting, "I'm Claire."

Vernon smacked on the door and demanded that the girls hurry up. The three filed out together to find Vernon and the boys waiting for them.

"Let's show some hustle." Vernon sighed, starting up the corridor.

"Time of the month, eh ladies?" Bender joked, a smug smile on his face.

Claire rolled her eyes and started after Vernon, the others falling in step behind. When they returned, the clock read 9:30 and Vernon left them alone as soon as they'd returned. Everyone returned to their original seats and Charity started adding detail to her sketches. Andrew and Claire were conversing quietly on the front row and Brian was sat, pen in hand, trying to write his paper.

"What are you drawing?" Charity looked up to see Bender watching her.

"Nothing." She shrugged.

He shuffled forwards in his seat and tilted the sketch pad forward, examining the work.

"That's me!" He said when he saw what she was working on.

Charity smiled and handed him the sketch pad, watching as he flicked through the drawings.

"You drew everyone here?" He asked.

"I was bored."

"Who's that?" Bender pointed to a girl with short hair.

"My best friend."

"What about her?" The girl he was now pointing to had the same long, dark hair as Charity.

"My little sister, Jessica."

"And that?"

He was now pointing to a picture of a boy, with a handsome face and a big grin. Charity leaned over and ripped the drawing out, screwing it into a ball.

"No one, just some dick I used to know." She threw the ball which hit Andrew in the back of the head. "Sorry Andrew!"

"Watch it." Andrew rubbed the back of his head as though it actually hurt.

Bender and Charity met each others eyes and started laughing. He handed her back her sketch pad.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Charity, what's yours?"

He hesitated for a few seconds, "John."

**AN: Just to let any readers or followers know, the laptop I am writing this story on has been locked by a virus so I won't be able to update until the virus is cleared. Hopefully this will be soon. :(**


	7. Chapter 6

**AN: We're not 100% sure that the virus has gone from our laptop but it doesn't seem to be there so I thought I'd update since it seems like forever since I last updated. I'm enjoying writing this Fanfic and I've been bored without anything much to do for a few days.**

Chapter 6- Parents.

The clock read 10:22 and boredom was taking over. Vernon hadn't been back for a while so everyone thought it safe to move. Andrew stood streching his legs on the railings, Allison was still sat at the back steering clear of the others, Brian stood off to the side of everyone else observing what was happening, Claire was still sat at her desk, Charity sat cross legged on the desk behind Claire's finishing her drawings, having now removed her jacket. and Bender sat on the library counter, tearing a book to shreds.

"That's real intelligent." Andrew commented as Bender threw torn out pages across the room, creating a shower of destroyed literature.

"You're right," Bender retaliated, "It's wrong to destroy literature. It's such fun to read."

He turned the book over to inspect the cover, "Molay really pumps my nads."

'Mol-yare' Charity thought, smiling slightly at the mispronunciation.

"Mol-yare." Claire voiced the correction.

Bender gave her a strange look.

"French guy, wrote 'School for Wives'." Charity enlightened.

"How do you know this?"

"I paid attention in English class."

"I love his work." Brian offered, earning the remainder of the book to be thrown at him.

"Nothing to do when you're locked in a vacancy." Bender said, shuffling through a card holder.

"Speak for yourself." Andrew said.

"Do you think I'd speak for you? I don't even know your language." Bender demanded.

Andrew gave up and turned to Claire, discussing some party that was happening that night.

"You gonna go?"

"I doubt it."

"How come?"

"When I do what my mother tells me not to do, it's because my dad tells me it's okay." Claire's explanation was so confusing that it took Charity a while to work out what she'd said, "It's this whole big monster deal, it's endless. Any minute, divorce."

"Who do you like better?" Bender asked.

"What?"

"You like your old man better than your mom?"

Claire shrugged, "They're both strict."

"No, I mean if you had to choose between them." Bender elaborated.

"I don't know, I'd probably go live with my brother." She paused for a few seconds, "I don't think either one of them gives a shit about me. They just use me to get back at each other."

"HA!" Everyone turned to Allison who had spoken for the first time.

She noticed everyone's stares and blew hair from her face.

"Shut up!" Claire ordered.

"You're just feeling sorry for yourself." Andrew said.

"If I didn't, no one else would."

"You're breaking my heart." Charity was confused as to why Andrew had turned on Claire so quickly.

"Sporto." Bender stopped what he was doing and jumped to Claire's rescue, confusing Charity further. It was as though John and Andrew had swapped roles.

"What?"

"Do you get along with your parents?" Bender jumped down from the desk to be more level with his opponent.

"Well, if I say yes, I'm an idiot right?"

"You're an idiot anyway but if you say you get along with your parents, you're a liar too." He was now stood close to Andrew, right in his face.

Claire was watching with a slight satisfied smile.

"You okay?" Charity asked, leaning forward.

"Yeah. I wasn't feeling sorry for myself."

"Don't worry about it. I'm not a hugh fan of my parents either." Charity said, prompting a comforted smile from Claire.

"Hey, fellas," Brian's voice interrupted the girls as he tried to separate John and Andrew, "I... I don't like my, my parents either. I don't... I don't... I don't get along with them either. Their idea of parental compassion is just, wacko. You know?"

By now, Andrew was leaning against the desk previously inhabited by Charity.

"Dork, you are a parent's wet dream, alright?" Bender patted Brian's shoulder, sitting him down on a desk, before starting for the back of the library.

"That's the problem."

Bender stopped, "Look, I can see you getting all bunged up with them making you wear these kind of clothes but face it, you're a neo-maxi-zoom- dweebie. What would you be doing if you weren't out making yourself a better citizen?"

"Why do you have to insult everybody?" Andrew asked.

"I'm being honest, asshole. I'd expect you to know the difference."

"Well, he's got a name." Andrew said.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Andrew hesitated, "What's your name?"

"Brian." Brian told him.

"My condolences." Bender said, returning to the front where Claire and Charity were locked in conversation.

"What's your name?" Claire asked.

"What's yours?"

"Claire." She revealed.

"Ca-laire?" Bender repeated.

"Claire, it's a family name."

"It's a fat girls name." Bender said, insulting yet another person.

"Thank you. I'm not fat."

The conversation continued on in this manner and Charity used the time to try and think of a solution to her sister's problem. The only solution where her parents wouldn't find out involved things that neither Charity or- more importantly- Jessica believed in. She didn't know what to do but she felt sorry for Jessica who was going to lose any respect people had for her and if her parents found out then Jessica wouldn't be their perfect little girl any more.

"You on the other hand," Bender said and Charity looked to see he was addressing her, "Are neither kind of fat person. You got a pretty nice figure."

Charity looked away, thinking he was probably taking the mick. She didn't think of herself as having a figure, she was just a scrawny rake.

Claire stuck her middle finger up at Bender before Charity had chance to reply.

"Obscene finger gestures from such a pristine girl." Bender seemed shocked.

"I'm not that pristine." Claire countered.

Bender placed his hand on the desk and got to Claire's level, looking her straight in the eyes and making her uncomfortable. Charity pitied the other girl.

"Are you a virgin?" Bender asked, "I'll bet you a million dollars that you are."

"Come on, leave her alone." Charity said but Bender paid no attention.

"Let's end the suspense." Claire didn't respond, too embarrassed. Bender stared straight at Claire and impersonated Billy Idol, "Will it be a white weddin'?"

"Why don't you just shut up?" Claire asked.

"Have you ever kissed a boy on the mouth?"

Claire, growing even more uncomfortable, opened her mouth but then closed it again like a fish. She blinked hard, giving tell tale signs that she probably hadn't done any of these things.

Bender continued, "Have you ever been felt up? Under the blouse, over the bra, shoes off, hoping to God your parents don't walk in?"

"Do you want me to puke?" Claire whispered.

"Over the panties, no bra, blouse unbuttoned, Calvin's in a ball on the front seat, past eleven on a school night?" Claire looked away and Andrew spoke up, hearing enough of Claire's suffering,

"Leave her alone."

Bender gave Claire one last, long look and Andrew stood up. "I said leave her alone!"

"You gonna make me?" Bender asked.

Charity placed her hand on Claire's shoulder, "Ignore him, he's a dick."

"Only sluts get felt up." Claire offered her opinion as Bender and Andrew carried on.

"No, they don't." Charity thought of her sister.

"You?" Claire asked, "Have you ever done it?"

"It's not important." Charity said.

They were snapped out of their conversation by Andrew wrestling Bender to the ground. It was amusing, especially for Claire and Charity. They laughed slightly and from his place on the floor, Bender looked at Charity like her laughter actually hurt. She looked away, not wanting to meet his eyes.

"Andrew, come on. He's learned his lesson." Charity said.

"I don't want to get into this with you, man." Bender said and Andrew let him up.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Because I'd kill you. It's real simple. I'd kill you and your fucking parents would sue me and it would be a big mess. I don't care enough about you to bother." Bender walked backwards, his hands in his pockets.

"Chicken shit." Andrew said.

Everyone turned to Bender as the click of a knife announced he had taken control of the situation again. The blade wasn't big but it was sharp. Charity hugged her balled up jacket to her stomach hoped he wasn't going to do anything stupid. After a few seconds, Bender turned and stuck the blade into a chair before turning back to Andrew.

"Let's end this right now." Andrew said, "You don't talk to her, you don't look at her and you don't even think about her! You understand me?"

Charity suppressed a small smile as Allison reached over and stole the knife.

"I'm trying to help her." Bender said.

Everyone shared glances as Andrew sat back in his seat and began conversing with Claire. Charity gathered up her pencil, sketch pad and jacket and moved back to her original seat, passing Bender as she did. Once back in her seat, she stuffed her jacket into her bag placed the drawings on the table, her wrist sore from drawing. Bender pulled out a chair and sat next to her.

"So," He began, searching for a subject of conversation, "Where'd you learn to draw?"

She smiled slightly as he flipped through her sketch pad again, "I guess it runs in the family. My mom's a sculptor. At least she used to be, now she just keeps her work in the garage. Her dad painted, landscapes mostly. Nothing famous, he just keeps them in the attic. He tried to teach me but I was more interested in drawing."

"You want to do it as a career or something?"

Charity shrugged, "I hope so but most artist get famous when they die."

Bender smiled slightly, "Instead of killing Andrew, I could kill you and then we'll see if your drawings are good enough to be famous." He held up the drawing she'd done of him, "I'd like to see this hanging in the Louvre."

"Maybe one day but I'd like to live a little first. Draw some more, maybe cut off my ear." She joked.

"Cut off your ear?" Bender enquired.

"Vincent Van Gogh cut off his ear." Charity specified.

"He your favourite artist then?" Bender asked.

She thought before shaking her head, "I love Monet. He painted in Giverny, I want to go there and see if I can draw anything good. My mom went there when she was younger, said it had this really nice atmosphere and that's where she finished her first complete sculpture."

Bender nodded and handed her back her pad.

**AN: Thanks to anyone who has read, reviewed, followed or favorited, your support is an amazing help and let's me know that this story is worth carrying on with (which is good because I love writing it).**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7- The Custodial Arts

The clock continued to tick away and Bender moved to a new seat at the front. At some point, someone went into the small room connected to the library and put on some music. Charity wasn't sure who put it on or what is was but she liked it.

The door opened and Carl, the Janitor, entered, pushing his cleaning supplies ahead of him. He entered the small room the music was coming from and emptied the bin.

"Brian, how you doing?" Carl asked.

Brian bowed his head, embarrassed.

"Your Dad works here?" Bender asked.

Brian pulled a sarcastic face as Carl returned the bin back to its original place.

"Hey, Charity." Carl said, returning to the library, "How's your family?"

"They're okay I guess." Charity shrugged.

"Oh, so he's your dad." Bender commented but no one responded.

"I've heard some pretty nasty stuff going round about Jess."

"Don't tell my parents but it's all true." Charity confided.

"How are you gonna sort it out without your parents knowing?" Carl enquired.

"We're still trying to figure that out."

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow then." Carl ended the conversation.

"Uh, Carl." Bender said.

"What?" Carl's tone changed slightly.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"How does one become a janitor?" Bender asked.

Carl had an amused smile on his face, "You want to be a janitor?"

"No, I was just wondering how one becomes a janitor. Andrew here is very interested in pursuing a career in the custodial arts." It was amusing to listen to (for everyone but Andrew who looked annoyed).

"Oh really?" Carl retaliated, taking in the smug smile on Bender's face, "You guys think I'm just some untouchable peasant? Peon? Maybe so but following a broom around shit heads like you for the past eight years, I've learned a few things. I look through your letters, I look through your lockers." Bender's head snapped up at this last comment, raising questions about what his locker contained, "I listen to your conversations. You don't know that but I do. I am the eyes and ears of this institution, my friends."

Smiling, Carl walked back to his cart and made to leave, everyone looking after him.

"By the way," He added before he left, "That clock's twenty minutes fast."

Everyone groaned and Brian muttered 'shit' under his breath.

"How do you know Carl so well?" Andrew asked Charity.

"He goes to the same church as my family. Has done for years, since before I was born." Charity told him.

"Your families close?" He asked.

"I guess so, his family is nice. I think we had Thanksgiving dinner at his place once but it was years ago."

"It's weird to think of staff outside school," Claire joined the conversation, "You just think of them as having no life outside this place."

"Everyone's got to have a life outside here," Andrew said, "Or they'd go crazy."

It was silent for a few minutes.

"You said the rumours about your sister were true." Claire said to Charity.

"You caught that, huh?" Charity had hoped everyone else had missed it or hadn't been paying attention to her conversation with Carl.

"If you don't mind me asking, what rumours?"

Charity shook her head, not wanting to drag anyone else into her business. It wasn't her secret to tell, she already felt she'd betrayed Jessica by telling Carl that it was true. Anyway, she didn't know who Claire would tell.

"It's her business." Charity said.

During this time, Bender had tied a scalf around his head in such a comical way that Charity couldn't help but laugh. He started to whistle 'The Colonel Bogey March'. Brian joined in and soon, all six people were whistling, too bored to just sit there. Even Allison was joining in. The six all stopped whistling when the door burst open and Vernon entered. Bender changed his tune to 'Beethoven's 5th' Vernon chose to ignore it.

"Alright, girls. That's thirty minutes for lunch." He announced.

Finally, everyone in the room was hungry and desperate to get out of the library. Charity's legs hurt and she could feel the return of her headache because there was a burning behind her eyes.

"Here?" Andrew asked in disbelief.

"Here." Vernon confirmed.

"I think the cafeteria would be a more suitable place for us to eat lunch, sir." Andrew offered.

"Well, I don't care what you think, Andrew."

"Uh, Dick." Bender called, his scalf still around his head "Excuse me, Rich, will milk be made available to us?"

"We're extremely thirsty, sir." Andrew added.

"I have a low tolerance for dehydration." Claire helped the boys fight their case.

"I've seen her dehydrate sir, it's pretty gross." Andrew said.

"Relax, I'll get it." Bender started to get up but Vernon wasn't stupid.

"Grab some wood there, bub. Do you think I was born yesterday? You think I'm gonna have you roaming these halls?" Vernon asked.

Bender sank back into his seat and nodded as though he could see and understand Vernon's point.

"You." Vernon pointed at Andrew who sighed. Vernon then scanned the others who sat before him. Andrew motioned for Claire as though it would help Vernon's decision. "And you." The finger came to rest on Allison. "Hey! What's her name? Wake her up. Hey, come on. On your feet, missy. This is no rest home."

Allison stood up- not to happily- taking her bag with her.

"There's a soft drink machine in the teacher's lounge." Vernon said.

It was typical that the teachers would have a soft drinks machine and all the students could get at lunch was milk. Andrew and Allison left the room and Vernon scanned the four teenagers who remained.

"I'm keeping my eyes on you, understand?" All four of them nodded and watched as Vernon left.

Desperate to stretch her legs, Charity rose from her seat and walked towards the back of the library and examining the books on a shelf. Soon, Claire had also moved further into the library, standing at the base of the statue. Charity went and stood next to her, striking up a conversation about how ridiculous it was that Vernon expected them to sit in their seats and not move for eight hours.

Soon, Bender and Brian also came to the back of the library. Brian perched on a railing and Bender on a desk in front of the railings. He looked bored and so decided to amuse himself in the usual way; at the expense of someone else.

"Claire? You wanna see a picture of a guy with elephentitus of the nuts? It's pretty tasty."

"Thanks for the imagery." Charity muttered and upon hearing, Bender winked at her.

"No, thank you." Claire began examining her nails.

"How do you think he rides a bike?" Bender continued, "Oh, Claire? Would you ever consider dating a guy like this?"

Claire was losing her ability to endure it, "Can't you just leave me alone?"

"If he had a great personality, was a good dancer and had a cool car. Although you'd probably have to ride in the back seat because his nuts would ride shotgun."

Brian and Charity shared an amused look.

Claire turned away from Bender, facing Charity. "You not what I wish I was doing?" She asked.

"Uh, be careful what you say," Bender warned, "Brian here is a cherry."

Charity addressed Claire whilst Brian and Bender conversed, "What do you wish you were doing?"

"I wish I was on a plane to France."

"Have you been there before?" Charity asked.

Claire nodded, "I wish I was there now, shopping."

"I'd like to go to France but not for the shopping. I'd like to go to Giverny and also see the Louvre." Charity said.

"Where else would you want to go?" Claire smiled.

"Italy," Charity said, "I've always wanted to go there and see Venice, Verona, Rome..."

She was cut of by Brian and Bender's conversation, "Oh, you and Claire did it?"

""What are you talking about?" Claire asked.

"Nothing, noting." Brian insisted and then spoke to Bender, "Let's just drop it, we'll talk about it later."

"No, drop what?" Claire objected, "What are you talking about?"

"Well, Brian's trying to tell me that in addition to the number of girls in the Niagara Falls area, you and he are riding the hobby horse." Bender filled her in.

Claire narrowed her eyes at Brian, "You little pig!"

"No I wasn't. John said I was a cherry and said I wasn't. That's it... that's... that's all that was said." Brian tried to defend himself.

"Then what were you motioning to Claire for?" Bender challenged.

"You know, I don't appreciate this very much, Brian." Claire said.

"He is lying." Brian insisted.

"Oh, you weren't motioning to Claire? Were you motioning to Charity?"

"No. You know he's lying." Brian said.

"Were you or were you not motioning to Claire?" Bender asked.

"Yeah," Brian finally admitted, "but it was only because ... I didn't want them to know I'm a virgin." Bender stared at Brian.

"Excuse me for being a virgin, I'm sorry." Brian said.

"Why didn't you want us to know you're a virgin?" Claire asked.

"Because it's my business, it's my personal, private business." Brian pointed at hand at his chest.

"Well, Brian, it doesn't look like you're doing any business." Bender spoke up.

Claire dismissed his comment, "I think it's okay for a guy to be a virgin."

Bender flung a paper ball at Charity, "What about you? What's you're take on all this?"

Charity smiled at Brian, "There's no shame in being a virgin. It's better to wait than rush into things and regret them."

"Are you a virgin?" Bender asked her.

Charity looked down at the ground, "I had this boyfriend and, um, I thought I loved him and I thought he loved me so... things happened and a few weeks later, he turned out to be a jerk and we broke up."

"Is he the guy from your drawings? The one you threw at Andrew's head?" Bender asked.

Charity nodded, "My mom found a condom wrapper in my bin. I'd thought I'd buried well enough in there but obviously not. She dragged me to confession."

"Confession?" Bender repeated.

"She's Catholic." Claire pointed to the small gold cross hanging from Charity's neck.

"But my parents are super strict old fashioned Catholics." Charity said.

"So, you guys really think it's okay to be a virgin?" Brian asked, "Just to be clear."

Claire and Charity both nodded.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8- Lunch

Andrew and Allison soon returned to the library and deposited the Coke's they'd brought back on Andrew and Claire's desk. Bender, Claire, Brian and Charity made their way back to the front of the library. Brian grabbed a coke from the front desk before returning to his original seat. Allison also returned to her original seat but Charity sat on the row infront of Brian.

"You guys owe me," Andrew said as Claire sat in her original seat and Bender pulled his chair behind the two richies, "I just used my own money to buy these drinks."

Everyone began searching their pockets and Andrew collected the money from them one by one. Charity dug in her bag and pulled out the small amount of money she had but realised she was 5 cents short.

"Brian?" She turned to the blonde boy as Andrew collected Allison's money.

"Yeah?"

"Can I borrow 5 cents? I promise I'll pay you back." Charity asked, a pleading look in her eye.

Brian nodded and handed her the 5 cents as Andrew came to collect his money. Brian poured the appropriate amount of money into Andrew's hand and then Andrew moved on to Charity.

"Thanks, Brian." She smiled as she handed Andrew the money.

Once Andrew had sat back in his seat, Charity leaned back in relief and pulled her bag onto her lap, desperate to find her lunch. Her mother had packed her lunch the night before whilst moaning about her daughter's Saturday detention. She's then gone on to talk about how perfect Jess was, how Jess had never gotten a detention. _'Oh mother_,' Charity had thought, _'if only you knew'._

Her lunchbox had been pushed right to the bottom by her art supplies and jacket and when she fished it from her bag, it was accompanied by a number of screwed up paper balls and a copy of 'Of Mice and Men', Charity's favourite book. She pulled the lid off her lunchbox and discovered a sandwich, an apple and a bag of crisps.

"Shit." Charity whispered when she discovered that her sandwich was filled with ham.

She sighed and flipped open her book to a random page, scanning to see what everyone else had for lunch. Claire was pulling a small block of wood from her bag. Charity tilted her head to the side, trying to work out what it was.

"What's that?" Bender asked, craning to see.

Claire paused for a few seconds, "Guess. Where's your lunch?"

Bender took a few seconds to work out his answer, "You're wearing it."

Charity smirked but Claire was far from amused, "You're nauseating."

As Claire began unpacking the rest of her lunch, Bender picked up two cans of Coke. One he tossed to Allison who caught it without even looking up from what she was examining, the other who tossed to Charity who fumbled and almost dropped it but managed to catch it. Bender smiled at her before turning back to Claire who now had a little black box on the table. Bender watched as she poured a brown liquid onto it.

"What's that?" He repeated his earlier question.

Claire looked at him like there was something wrong with him, "Sushi."

"Sushi?" Bender asked.

Claire giggled, "Sushi. Rich, uh, raw fish and seaweed."

Charity thought back to the previous Friday night when her father had thought it would be fun to try Sushi. They'd experimented with a number of different combinations but in the end, the family had all vowed never to attempt to eat it again.

"Can I eat?" Claire brought Charity back from her memories of eight days ago.

"I don't know... give it a try." Bender said.

Claire began eating her sushi and Andrew pulled a hugh grocery bag onto the table. Charity felt her eyes widen as pulled out a bag of chips that could probably hold the equivalent of about twenty normal sized bags, three sandwiches, a bag of cookies- the latter was deliciously tempting- and a carton of milk. By now, Claire and Bender were also staring. Andrew made to put his bag down but realised that there was still something in there and placed a banana and an apple on the desk before dropping the grocery bag to the ground.

"Do you think he'll eat it all?" Charity whispered to Brian, not taking her eyes from Andrew's meal.

"I don't... I don't think it's possible." Brian whispered back.

A fizzing drew Charity's attention to the back of the room where she saw Allison slurping spilled Coke from the table top.

"What are you having?" Brian asked Charity.

She picked up her apple and took a bite of it. Brian nodded. Allison flung a piece of meat from her sandwich behind her- obviously as disgusted with her filling as Charity was with hers- and let it hit the statue. She then began pouring pixie sticks onto the bread, pausing only to take a sip from her Coke which she swelled around her mouth like mouthwash. She deposited the empty pixie sticks into her drink and then poured cereal onto her bread, crushed the cereal with her hand and then took a bite from the sandwich. Claire, Bender and Andrew looked away at the exact same time. Charity turned away from Brian as Bender, Coke in hand, came and perched next to him, pulling Brian's lunch to him.

"What are we having?" He asked.

"Just your standard, regular lunch, I guess." Brian said as Bender delved into the bag.

Charity couldn't believe that Brian would just sit there and let him take his lunch. She pulled her sandwich from her bag.

"John?" She said.

His head snapped up and he pulled his hand from Brian's bag, placing a thermos on the desk, "Sweets?"

Charity assumed that he was trying to make her uncomfortable like he'd been doing to Claire all day but she carried on, "Do you want a ham sandwich?"

"Aren't you going to eat it?" He asked.

"I'm a vegetarian," Charity said, "but my mom doesn't like the idea so she's always slipping meat into my food and trying to trick me into eating it."

"Is that a Catholic thing?" Brian asked.

Charity giggled, "No, that's a my mother thing."

Bender held up a hand and Charity gave the sandwich a light toss, he caught it and took a bite.

"The only day that she doesn't mind me being a veggie is Friday and that is a Catholic thing." Charity continued to Brian.

Brian picked up his own sandwich, Bender examining it. "PB&J with the crusts cut off," Bender observed, "Well, Brian, this is a very nutritious lunch. All the food groups are represented. Did your mom marry Mister Rogers?"

"Uh, no, Mister Johnson." Brian said, not picking up on Bender's sarcasm.

"Ahh," Bender nodded, "Here's my impression of life at Big Bri's house."

Claire and Andrew were smiling at each other, enjoying it when the joke was at someone else expense. Charity gave Brian a sympathetic smile and took another bite of her apple. She closed her book and put it in her bag as Bender started his performance.

"_Son_!" He imitated Brian's father.

"Yeah Dad?" He used his fingers to make dimples and imitated a child's voice as he mimicked Brian.

"_How's your day, pal_?"

"Great, Dad. How's yours?"

"_Super, say son, how'd you like to go fishing this weekend?"_

"Great, Dad but I've got homework to do." He sounded a little disappointed at this last part.

_"That's alright son, you can do it on the boat." _

"Gee!"

Bender now imitated Brian's dad talking to his mother, "_Dear, isn't our son swell?"_

He now put on a feminine voice, **"Yes, dear. Isn't life swell?"**

He then showed Brian's parents kissing before showing Brian's father punching his mother. The small amount of humour vanished from the situation and Charity's small smile vanished as she felt the room grow slightly colder.

Andrew was the one who broke the silence, "Alright, what about your family?"

"Mine?" Bender pointed at himself.

"Yeah."

"That's real easy." Bender returned to his previous place in the room and got into the character of his father, pointing an finger at an invisible person.

_"Stupid, worthless, no good, God damned, freeloading, son of a bitch, retarder, big mouth, know it all, asshole, jerk."_

He then crossed his arms and imitated his mother, "**You forgot ugly, lazy and disrespectful**."

Bender then showed his father slapping his mother, "_Shut up, bitch! Go fix me a turkey pot pie."_

He then became himself, "What about you, Dad?"

He became his father again, "_Fuck you."_

"No, Dad, what about you?"

"_Fuck you."_

Bender raised his own voice, "No, Dad, What about you?"

"_FUCK YOU!"_ He then showed his Dad hitting him.

The room fell silent and everyone watched Bender. Brian gathered the courage to speak up, "Is that for real?"

"You wanna come over some time?" Bender asked.

Then Andrew spoke up, "That's bullshit, it's all part of your image. I don't believe a word of it."

Charity could have strangled Andrew at this point but she watched Bender respond, "You don't believe me?"

"No."

"No?"

"Did I stutter?"

The rage was evident in Bender's eyes as he crossed to Andrew, pulling his sleeve up as he went. He stuck his arm right in Andrew's face, showing a round burn mark.

"Do you believe this?" He demanded, not letting Andrew look away, "About the size of a cigar. Do. I. Stutter? You see, this is what you get at my house when you spill paint in the garage." Bender started to walk away, "See, I don't think that I need to sit with you fuckin' dildos anymore."

He held up his arms and then knocked a stack of maps from a desk, yelling in a rage. He climbed onto the desk and swung himself onto the second floor balcony, resting his head against the bars.

"You shouldn't have said that." Claire said to Andrew.

"You're such an idiot." Charity joined in, her hands shaking slightly.

"How would I know? I mean, he lies about everything." Andrew defended himself.

"How would you know?" Charity asked, "You don't know him."

"Yeah, well neither do you." Andrew shot back.

"And I don't pretend to." Charity said.

She glanced up at Bender and thought- but couldn't be sure- that she saw a single tear roll down his cheek.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9- Man Who Leads The Way.

Everyone continued eating their lunch in awkward silence and Bender remained seated on the second floor balcony. No one dared speak, even after finishing lunch. Claire, Brian and Andrew wondered futher into the library and Allison sat doodling. Charity sighed, pulled the bag of crisps she hadn't eaten from her bag and started towards the second floor balcony. Charity didn't know why she was going up there, he probably wanted to be left alone.

"Hey," She said, Bender didn't respond, "Mind if I sit here?"

She didn't expect him to answer but he shuffled up a little, "Feel free."

Charity nervously sank to the floor next to him, their legs hanging from under the balcony.

"Want some?" She asked, holding out the bag of crisps.

He didn't respond for a few seconds but eventually shuffled closer and took a handful of crisps. The entire library was on view from the balcony, showing just how bored everyone looked. Claire was looking at her nails, Andrew was tearing a piece of paper to shreds and Brian had returned to his seat where he was once again attempting to work on his essay.

"They look bored." Charity commented.

Bender smiled mischievously, "Well, I bring the party with me." He stood up and began to walk away but turned to Charity, "Coming?"

"Sure." Charity put her empty crisp packet in her pocket and accepted a hand up from Bender.

Charity was more than a little confused when Bender didn't let go. He kept hold of her hand until they reached the bottom of the stairs when he released her hand and went to address the others.

"Bored?"

Everyone nodded, accept Allison who was staring at her desk.

"Come on then." Bender walked towards the library door.

"Where?" Andrew grabbed Claire's arm, stopping her as she made to stand up.

Bender didn't answer, just stood waiting near the door. Claire pulled her arm away from Andrew's and joined Bender at the door, followed closely by Charity and Brian. Andrew sighed before joining them.

"Allison, you coming?" Charity spoke to the quiet girl for the first time.

Allison looked shocked that she had been spoken to but picked up the bag that seemed to be surgically attached to her and made for the front of the library. The sound of Vernon's voice drifted along the corridor. Bender eased it open and checked the corridor before motioning that it was all clear. They began along the corridor, Claire and Bender at the front, then Andrew and Brian, then Charity and then Allison.

"Where are we going?" Andrew called.

"My locker." Bender revealed.

"How do you know where Vernon went?" Claire asked.

"I don't." Bender replied.

"How do you know when he'll be back?"

"I don't. Being bad feels pretty good, huh?"

Brian and Andrew were also conversing.

"Why are we going to Bender's locker?" Brian asked.

"Beats me." Andrew said.

"This is so stupid. Why are we risking getting caught?"

"I don't know." Andrew was clearly starting to get fed up with Brian's questions.

"Then what are we doing?"

"You ask me one more question and I'm beating the shit out of you." Andrew threatened.

"Sorry." Brian said.

Andrew quickened his pace and Charity fell into step next to Brian.

"It's better than the library." She said.

The group eventually reached Bender's locker, evident with the offensive graffiti on it and the small noose poking out. When Bender opened his locker, a blade fell down and chopped the toe piece off a shoe. Bender began searching the locker which was filthy and didn't smell too good.

"You're such a slob." Andrew said.

"My maid's on vacation." Bender said.

He pulled a paper bag from his locker and pulled out another and then another from inside, like pass the parcel. Hidden inside the last bag was a bag of marijuana.

"Drugs." Brian said.

"Screw that, Bender. Put it back." Andrew said. Bender pocketed the drugs and walked away.

"Drugs. The boy has marijuana." Brian pointed after Bender as Claire and Charity began walking away, "That was marijuana."

"Shut up." Andrew said as he passed Brian, leaving Brian and Allison.

"Do you approve of this?" Brian asked Allison.

When she didn't reply, Brian followed after the rest of the group. Allison closed her mouth- which was hanging open- and stole the lock from Bender's locker as she passed. As the group wondered the corridors, Andrew and Bender began debating the way back to the library.

"We'll cross through the lab." Bender said, "Then double back."

"If Vernon cuts us off, it's your fault, asshole." Andrew said.

"John's been here before, he should know the way." Charity said.

"What did he say?" Brian asked from behind the three, "Where are we going?" Claire and Brian turned, following the others and Allison shuffled along behind.

The group started down a corridor but stopped when they noticed Vernon, who had his back to the group. They started running, except Allison didn't pick up her pace. A chase had now started, with the group trying to avoid Vernon, who seemed to be everywhere. At one point, the group slid to a halt, almost crashing to the ground.

"Wait! Wait, hold it." Bender stopped everyone, "Go through the cafeteria."

"No, the hall. You don't know what you're talking about." Andrew countered.

Charity tried to walk through both routes in her head but couldn't think which was easier. Allison made a noise, urging them to hurry up.

"We're through listening to you. We're going this way, you go where you want." Andrew said, leading Claire and Brian away.

Andrew called at the group to 'hurry up'. Allison, Charity and Bender stood in the corridor, Allison urging them to follow. Bender placed a hand on Charity's back, urging her forwards. It looked as though the six were going to make it when they slammed into a gate, blocking their way.

"Shit." Andrew hissed.

"Great idea, jagoff." Bender said, clutching the bars.

"Fuck you!" Andrew yelled.

"Fuck you! We should have listened to John." Claire said.

"We're dead." Brian said.

It was silent for a few seconds.

"No, just me." Bender said.

"What do you mean?" Brian muttered.

Bender pulled the drugs from his pocket and stuffed them down Brian's pants, "Get back to the library and keep your unit on you."

Everyone stared after Bender as he ran off the corridor, shouting 'I wanna be an airborne ranger!' at the top of his lungs. As the group ran back towards the library, the could still hear Bender singing, 'Before the day I die, there's five things I wanna ride. Tricycle, Bicycle, automobile. Vernon's mom and a Ferris wheel.' When the library came into view, the group had never been happier to see it.

"Drugs." Brian whispered as he slumped against the door, still shocked by what had happened.

Claire and Charity both burst out laughing and Allison cracked a small smile.

"We better sit down before Vernon comes in here." Andrew said.

"I think Vernon's a little busy." Claire said but she perched on her desk anyway.

Brian, Charity and Allison sat back in their seats, Allison even had her feet up, more comfortable with the group. When Bender and Vernon returned, Vernon told Bender to grab his stuff and told the others that they would be 'without his services for the rest of the day.'.

"B-O-O-H-O-O." Bender spelled it out.

"Everything's a big joke, huh? That false alarm you pulled on Friday. False alarms are really funny." Vernon began to loose his patience, "What is your home, what if you family... what is your dope was on fire?"

"Impossible, sir. It's in Johnson's underwear." Bender said.

Terror flashed over Brian's face and Andrew snorted.

"You think he's funny? This is cute? You think he's bitchin', is that it?" Vernon asked, "Let me tell you something, he's a bum. You want to see something funny? Go visit John Bender in five years, you'll see how Goddamn funny he is."

Vernon moved to Bender's desk and crouched to Bender's level, "What's the matter, John? You going to cry?"

Bender looked away and began to stood up, "Keep your fucking hands off me!" He yelled when Vernon grabbed his arm, "I expected better manner from you, Dick."

With his coat slung over his arm, Bender started for the front of the library, stopping at Andrew's desk.

"For better hallway vision." He placed a pair of sunglasses on Andrew's desk and clapped his back before going with Vernon.

The room was silent once the pair had left. "I can't believe he told Vernon where the drugs were." Brian said.

Charity smiled and pulled her marker from her pocket and began unconsciously drawing on the desk top. Claire leaned against Andrew's desk and began a conversation. The ceiling creaked but no one paid much attention to it until there was a loud crash.

"OH SHIT!" Bender yelled as he came crashing through the ceiling.

Everyone stared as he approached, "Forgot my pencil."


	11. Chapter 10

**AN: Sorry for a short chapter, the next will be longer.**

Chapter 10- A Ruckus

To say that the sudden arrival of Bender surprised everyone would be an understatement. The eyes of the other students followed Bender as he walked to Brian's desk and scooped up his pencil.

"God damn it!" Vernon's cry came from outside and everyone froze. Bender dived under Claire's desk as Vernon entered the library.

"What in God's name is going on in here?" Vernon demanded to which everyone shrugged, "What was that ruckus?"

"What ruckus?" Andrew faked innocence.

"I was just in my office and I heard a ruckus."

"Could you describe the ruckus, sir?" Brian piped up.

"Watch your tongue," Vernon pointed at Brian. He knew something was going on but he wasn't sure what.

There was a sudden bang from under Claire's desk but Andrew covered it up by banging the desk. When another bang came, Allison slammed her feet to the floor.

"What is this?" Vernon grew more suspicious, "What is that? What is that noise?"

"What noise?" Andrew asked.

"There wasn't any noise." Claire said but she stopped suddenly and Charity noted how her back stiffened before she started a coughing fit that the others soon joined, "Was that the noise you were talking about?"

"No it wasn't. That was not the noise I was talking about." Vernon said, "Now, I many not have caught you in the act this time, but you can bet I will."

Allison scoffed at the back and Vernon glared at her.

"You make book on that, missy. And you!" He snapped at Claire, "I will not be made a fool of."

Everyone laughed as Vernon swept from the room, the seat cover from the toilet sticking from the back of his pants. Claire was the only one not laughing, she was too busy smacking Bender's back as he emerged from under the table.

"It was an accident." Bender said, as everyone looked confused as to what 'was an accident'.

"You're an asshole." Claire said.

"Sue me." He said before walking to Brian's desk, "So, Ahab, kybo my doobage."

Brian pulled the drugs from his pants, which Bender accepted.

Andrew realised what was happening, "Yo, waistoid, You're not gonna blaze up in here!" He called after Bender as he retreated towards the back of the library.

Bender ignored him and carried on. Claire gazed after him, clearly thinking of joining him. Andrew shook his head at her but she stood up and followed Bender. Brian and Andrew mouthed to each other for a few seconds before Brian tagged along after Claire, zipping up his pants as he went. Andrew turned and sighed, not realising that Allison was watching him intently.

"Shit." He muttered, deciding to follow the others.

"Andy, you don't have to if you don't want to." Charity said but her ignored her and carried on.

Charity sighed and leaned back in her chair. Allison was still sitting in her seat and Charity smiled at her.

"You not going?" She asked.

Allison stared for a few seconds, "No." She finally whispered.

"Me neither." Charity said, "Mind if I sit next to you?"

Allison shook her head and Charity moved into the seat next to her, taking her drawing pad with her.

"I saw you drawing earlier." Charity said, flipping through her pad until she found the picture she'd drawn of Allison. Allison's face lit up as she saw the drawing and she picked up the sketch pad, examining the other pictures.

"You wanna see mine?" She asked.

Charity smiled and nodded and Allison produced the drawing she'd done from her bag. For a few minutes, the girls conversed about art and Charity was glad she'd gotten Allison to open up to her a bit. Their conversation was soon interrupted by Andrew who began dancing along the second floor. He removed his sweater as someone wolf-whistled. Allison went back to staring, open mouthed as Andrew leapt over tables and even smashed the glass on the 'Foreign Language' door by screaming.

Charity pulled a cigarette from her bag and lit up with the lighter she kept in her pocket, the smoke from the others making her want one. Her cigarettes, however, weren't filled with drugs (well not the kind that got you high).

Things went on like this for a while with people screaming and things getting broken. Claire was the first one to recover from the drugs, returning to the front of the library with her head in her hands.

"You okay, Claire?" Charity asked.

Claire shook her head and muttered something that sounded like 'I have a headache'.

"I thought you said you weren't smoking." Allison whispered.

"Oh, sorry." Charity stubbed her cigarette out on the desk.

Allison smiled, "Doesn't matter."


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11- Group Therapy.

Once everyone had recovered from their drug high, the gang retreated to the second floor where Brian sat talking to Andrew and Allison, whislt Claire sat with Bender and Charity. The contents of Claire and Charity's bags lay on the desk infront of them and Claire was looking through Bender's wallet. Bender was brushing his teeth with one of Claire's makeup appliances.

"I wouldn't use that again if I was you." Charity said to Claire.

Claire continued to route through Bender's belonging, "Are all these your girlfriends?"

"Some of them." He said, closing the lid on Claire's compact mirror.

"What about the others?"

"Well, some I consider my girlfriends and some I just consider."

"Consider what?" Claire watched Bender spray her perfume.

"Whether or not I wanna hang out with them." Bender explained.

Claire watched in disbelief, "You don't believe in just one guy, one girl?"

"Do you?"

"Yeah, that's the way it should be."

"Not for me." Bender said.

"Why not?" Claire persisted.

Bender quickly changed the subject, asking Claire why she had 'so much shit in her purse', which she countered by asking him why he had 'so many girlfriends'.

"I guess I never throw anything away." Claire answered Bender question.

"Neither do I." Bender said.

"Oh." Claire said.

The two finished the conversation and, realising that Charity was still sat with them, started looking through her stuff. She didn't have much; a dozen or so pencils, a carton of cigarettes (that Bender raised his eyebrows at), her jacket, her drawing pad, a few art supplies, her book and a pack of tea bags.

"Camomile tea bags?" Bender questioned, holding up the box.

Charity smiled, "Headaches are a problem for me. They're unexpected and when I get them, I get them bad."

"You had a headache earlier, why didn't you use one then?" Claire asked.

"A tea bag won't get you far without a cup, water and everything else you need to make tea." Charity said, prompting a smile from the red head.

"You smoke?" Bender dropped the box of tea bags and picked up the cigarettes.

"On the odd occasion but not often." Charity said.

Claire put her possessions back in her bag and then wondered over to where Brian was now sat alone. Charity handed Bender his wallet and he helped her put her stuff in her bag, being careful not to ruin her sketch pad.

...

The gang sat in a circle, Charity sat inbetween Claire and Brian. They were playing a game that Claire started when she asked Andrew what he'd do for a million bucks.

"I guess I'd do as little as possible." Andrew said.

"That's boring..." Claire began.

Charity noted how bored Brian and Bender looked, staring off into the distance. After a brief discussion, Andrew confirmed that he would indeed drive to school naked for a million dollars.

"I'd do that," Allison drew everyone's attention to herself for the first time since early that morning, "I'd do anything sexual and I don't need a million dollars to do it."

"You're lying." Claire rolled her eyes.

"I already have." Allison said, "I've done just about everything there is, except a few things that are illegal. I'm a nymphomaniac."

Everyone watched the previously silent girl, trying to fathom if she was being serious. Claire didn't seem to think so as she accused Allison of lying. "Are your parents aware of this?" Brian asked, deciding to believe the claim.

"The only person I told was my shrink."

"What did he do when you told him?" Andrew also bought the story.

"He nailed me." Allison said.

Claire looked away, disgusted, "Very nice."

Allison went on, revealing how she'd done it with her shrink more than once and that he was married. "Are you crazy?" Claire asked.

"Obviously she's crazy if she's screwing her shrink." Brian said.

Allison leaned closer to Claire, "Have you ever done it."

"I don't even have a psychiatrist."

"Have you ever done it with a normal person?"

"Didn't we already cover this?" Claire was obviously eager to avoid the question.

"You never answered the question." Bender joined the conversation.

"Look, I'm not gonna discuss my private life with total strangers." Claire said.

"Kind of a double edged sword isn't it?" Allison was not letting the subject go, "If you say you haven't, you're a prude. If you say you have, you're a slut."

Charity's eyes dropped the ground and she hugged her knees to her chest. The word 'slut' hung in her head. Did these people see her as a slut because she told them she'd done it? She couldn't shake the writing on the bathroom door from her mind. Allison was right; people did see you as a slut if they knew you'd done it.

"You want to but you can't," Allison went on, "Then when you do, you wish you didn't. Right?"

"Wrong." Claire said.

"Right." Charity said, "I wish I hadn't done it."

"Or, are you a tease?" Allison asked Claire.

Andrew and Bender started discussing it, confirming that Claire was a tease. Claire was getting annoyed and turned on Allison.

"Doesn't it bother you to sleep around without being in love? Don't you want any respect?"

Bender tilted his head up, realising why Claire was dodging the question.

"I don't screw to get respect, that's the difference between you and me." Allison said.

"Not the only difference, I hope." Claire muttered.

Bender accused Claire once again of being a tease and Claire objected.

"Sure you are. Sex is your weapon, you said it yourself; you use it to get respect." Bender said.

The conversation continued and the boys all nagged at Claire to answer the question.

"No!" Claire screamed, " I never did it!"

Everyone stared for a few seconds, amazed that Claire had finally admitted what they had all worked out already.

"I thought you said that it was okay to be a virgin." Charity said.

"I never did it either." Allison admitted, "I'm not a nymphomaniac, I'm a compulsive liar."

Claire looked outraged, her eyes full of anger as she called Allison a 'bitch' and accused her of lying on purpose so that Claire would admit to being a virgin.

"I would do it, though. If you love someone it's okay." Allison sent a small smile at Charity.

"You're so weird. You don't say anything all day and when you open your mouth, you unload all these tremendous lies all over me." Claire said.

"You're just pissed off because she got you to admit something you don't wanna admit." Andrew looked amused.

"Fine. That doesn't make it any less bizarre." Claire calmed down.

"What's bizarre? I mean, we're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it." Andrew replied.

"How are you bizarre?" Claire narrowed her eyes at Andrew.

"He can't think for himself." Allison spoke up.

"She's right. Do you guys know what I did to get in here?" Andrew asked. "I taped Larry Lester's buns together."

Claire giggled but Brian stared, "That was you?"

"You know him?"

"Yeah, I know him."

Andrew started telling the story of how his father had pressured him into being the best and how he was disappointed that Andrew never played any of the 'pranks' that he had played at school. The story of how Andrew had attacked Larry and how Larry must have felt telling his father caused the smiles to vanish from Claire and Bender's faces. Brian had his head buried in his hand and Charity could feel warm tears cascading down her cheeks. Andrew and Allison both had tears in their eyes. Things were silent for a few moments when Andrew finished his story.

"I think your old man and my old man should get together and go bowling." Bender tried to lighten the mood.

Claire tilted her head up to look at Charity, "Why are you here?"

Charity took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her face, knowing new ones would replace them soon, "I walked out of class."

"Why?" Allison asked.

"The whole story?" Charity asked.

Everyone nodded.

"Well, my parents are really persistent on the oldest child being the role model for their siblings. That was my brother but... he was under a lot of pressure. My dad was pushing him to get a job he didn't want to do, he was having trouble with his girlfriend and it got too much. He... killed himself."

Pain flashed across Brian's face as he took his head from his hand, "How?"

"Hanging." Charity said, "Then I became the oldest and Mom expected me to be a good example for Jess but she's always been the perfect child they expect... Now, she's two months pregnant. They don't know and her boyfriend broke up with her when she told him. I heard some girls muttering about her in English class," She glanced at Claire, "Some of your friends, Claire. They were calling her a 'slut' and a 'whore' and other stuff and I just got up and left."

Claire looked ashamed of her friend's actions.

"Maybe your dad should join the bowling party." Bender said.

"The pressure your parents put on you to be perfect, it's like me with my grades." Brian said.

Brian launched into his story about taking shop and having to make an elephant lamp. His story was frequently interrupted by Bender and the two disputed.

"I can write with my toes," Allison interrupted, "I can also eat, brush my teeth-"

"With your feet?" Claire interrupted, her voice a mix of disgust and wonder.

"Play 'Heart and Soul' on the piano." Allison finished.

"I can make spaghetti." Brian offered.

"What can you do?" Claire asked Andrew.

The jock thought before smiling, "I can... tape all your buns together."

"What about you?" Claire asked Charity.

"I can draw." Charity shrugged.

"Yeah, but we all know that. Something else." Bender said.

"I can, uh, play guitar... Read Latin."

"Latin?" Claire asked.

"Yeah, this kid who used to live next door to me taught me."

"I wanna see what Claire can do." Bender said.

This caught Claire off guard, "I can't do anything."

"No, everyone can do something." Bender said.

Claire considered, "There's one thing I can do. No, it's too embarrassing."

"You ever seen 'Wild Kingdom'?" Bender asked, "That guy's been doing that show for thirty years."

"Okay," Claire gave in, reaching for her bag, "but you have to swear to God you won't laugh."

Bender made the holy cross on his body and watched as Claire tucked her lipstick into her shirt. Everyone stared as she bent her head towards it and applied the lipstick perfectly. When she lifted her head up to reveal a perfectly made up top lip, everyone clapped and cheered. Claire's smile dropped as she noticed Bender clapping sarcastically.

"Where'd you learn that?" Andrew inquired.

"Camp, seventh grade." Claire answered.

"That was great, Claire. My image of you is totally blown." Bender said.

The red head looked uncomfortable as she wiped the makeup from her lip.

"You're a shit!" Allison snapped at Bender, "Don't do that to her. You swore to God you wouldn't laugh."

"Am I laughing?"

"You fuckin' prick!" Andrew snapped.

Bender snapped his head towards Andrew, "What do you care what I think, anyway? I don't even count, right? I could disappear forever and it wouldn't make any difference. I may as well not even exist at this school, remember?" Bender averted his gaze to Claire, "And you, don't like me anyway."

Claire looked close to tears, "I have just as many feelings as you do and it hurts just as much when someone steps all over them."

"God, you're so pathetic." Bender said, "Don't you ever, ever compare yourself to me, okay? You've got everything and I've got shit!"

Bender continued to dig at Claire, who started crying. Charity leaned her head on the leg of a chair and started flicking her lighter.

"My God," Andrew said once the shouting had ceased, "Are we gonna be like our parents?"

"Not me," Claire shook her head, "Ever."

Bender nodded in some kind of understanding.

"It's unavoidable," Allison said, tears leaving tracks on her face, "It just happens."

"What happens?" Claire whispered.

"When you grow up, your heart dies." Allison said.

Brian spoke up, "I was just thinking... I mean, I know it's kind of a weird time but I was just wondering, what is going to happen to us on Monday?  
When we're all together again. I consider you guys my friends. I'm not wrong, am I?"

"Are we still friends, you mean? If we're friends now, that is?" Claire was still shaky from her argument with Bender.

"Yeah." Brian nodded.

"Do you want the truth?"

"Yeah, I want the truth."

"I don't think so." Claire shook her head and Brian looked hurt.

"With all of us or just John?" Allison asked.

"With all of you." Claire said.

"That's a real nice attitude, Claire." Andrew sounded annoyed.

"Oh, be honest, Andy. If Brian came up to you on Monday, what would you do? You're there with all the sports. You'd say 'hi' and when he left, you'd cut him all up so your friends don't think you really like him."

"No way." Andrew denied.

"Okay, what if I came up to you? Or Charity did?" Allison asked.

"The same." Claire said.

"You are a bitch!" Bender yelled.

"Why? 'Cause I'm telling the truth, that makes me a bitch?" Claire demanded.

"No, 'cause you know how shitty that is to do to someone and you don't have the balls to stand up to your friends and tell them that you're gonna like who you wanna like."

"What about you, you hypocrite?" Claire was in tears again, "Why don't you take Allison to one of your heavy metal vomit parties or take Brian out to the parking lot to get high? What about Andy for that matter? What about Charity? What about me? What would your friends say if we were walking down the hallway together? They'd laugh their asses off and you'd probably tell them you were doing it with me so they'd forgive you for being seen with me."

"Don't you talk about my friends. You don't know any of my friends! You don't look at any of my friends! And you certainly wouldn't condescend to speak to any of

my friends!"

The yelling continued until Claire told Bender she hated him.

"Then I assume Allison, Charity and I are better people than you guys, huh? Us weirdo's. Would you... would you do that to me?" Brian said.

Charity shook her head, "I only have one friend and she wouldn't think too highly of me if I did do that," Charity cast a look at Claire, "Because she knows how shitty that is."

"What about you?" Brian addressed Allison.

"I don't have any friends." Allison admitted.

"If you did?"

"No." Allison looked proud of this, "I don't think the kind of friends I'd have would mind."

"I just wanna tell each of you that I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't and I will not. Because I think that's real shitty." Brian said.

"Your friends wouldn't mind because they look up to us." Claire said.

"We look up to you?" Charity asked, "Really? I see your friends being bitch to other people in the hallway and I thank God that I'm not like them because I'd rather be a loser than a two faced, snobby bitch!"

Claire looked away and Charity did too, ashamed that she'd snapped at Claire but she didn't apologize because she meant what she's said.

"You're so conceited, Claire." Brian almost laughed, "You're so conceited. Why are you like that?"

Charity zoned out of the conversation, drawing on her wrist with her marker pen.

"You think I don't understand pressure, Claire?" Brian's voice disturbed her thoughts, "Well fuck you! Fuck you."

Everyone stared in concern as Brian sobbed into his sleeve.

"Do you know why I'm here today? Do you!" Brian demanded, "I'm here because Mr Ryan found a gun in my locker."

Brian continued with his previously interrupted story, explaining the pressure of having to get good grades and how he got an F in shop. When he described how he had the gun waiting in his locker, Charity felt fresh tears because she saw resemblances to her own family and she understood why Brian had looked upset when she'd mentioned her bother's suicide.

"It was a handgun?" Allison asked.

"No, it was a flare gun. It went off in my locker." Brian said.

Andrew tried to bite back laughter and Charity could feel a smile too.

"It's not funny." Brian said.

One by one, the group started laughing and Brian joined in.

"Yes it is... fucking elephant was destroyed." Brian said.

"You wanna know what I did to get in here?" Allison asked, "Nothing, I didn't have anything better to do."

This started a fresh wave of laughter. It felt good to laugh after all the emotion that had filled the room. Charity realised that she really knew nothing about the people around her. She knew their names, not their stories. However, knowing them better, she regarded the as her friends.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12- We Are Not Alone

Once everyone recovered from their laughing fits, the group descended the stairs once again and Brian decided to eradicate any tension left between the six (especially Claire and Bender) by putting on some music. It took him a while to find a good song since the schools selection was terrible but Bender passed the time by climbing onto the staute. Eventually, Brian found 'We Are Not Alone' by Karla DeVito.

"I love this song." Charity whispered as she watched Allison dancing.

Claire was stood on the stairs, dancing as though she spent a lot of time doing so. Andrew wasn't dancing but was sat on a railing patting his knee. Bender, still perched on the statue, appeared to be head banging. Soon, everyone was dancing and Allison and Bender shuffled along a desk together. Then, the three boys also danced along the desk, followed by the three girls.

When the song finished, Bender announced that he had to go back to the supply closet that Vernon had apparently locked him in. It got boring really fast without the most rebellious person around and the remaining five could do nothing but sit in a row along a desk and wait for detention to end.

"Brian?" Claire asked, "Are you going to write your paper?"

"Yeah. Why?" The quiet boy replied.

"Well, it's kind of a waste for all of us to write our paper, don't you think?"

"That's what Vernon wants us to do." Brian was becoming confused.

"True, but I think we'd all say the same thing." Claire persuaded her case as Allison and Andrew looked at each other, hoping the other wouldn't notice.

"You just don't wanna write your paper, right?" Brian asked.

"True, but you're the smartest one here, right?" Claire said.

"Well..." Brian chuckled, attempting to be modest.

"We trust you." Claire said and Brian agreed to write the paper.

Claire dragged Allison and Charity to a corner of the library where she started to give Allison a make over. Charity refused to take off the small amount of eyeliner and mascara she was wearing and Claire decided not to give her a make over but she was more persistent with Allison. Allison squealed as Claire applied makeup.

"You look a lot better without all that black shit under your eyes." Claire said.

"Hey, I like that black shit." Allison said.

Once Claire had finished the makeover, Charity and Claire examined the results and Allison looked great. Whether or not the makeover was for Allison was for her to decide but she could change back to her old style if she wasn't happy.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Allison asked.

Claire beamed, "Because you're letting me."

Claire and Charity escorted Allison back towards where Andrew and Brian were sitting and both boys stared as though Allison was an angel who had just appeared before them. Andrew jumped down from the railing he'd been sat on and Allison slowly walked towards him, stopping only to look at Brian who was smiling and murmured 'cool'.

"Thank you." Allison said to him.

Claire watched Allison closing the distance between herself and Andrew, like a mother watching her child walking to school for the first time. Brian stared at his paper as though he'd created something beautiful (much like Frankenstein had before he'd relied what he'd really done) and kissed it.

"What happened to you?" Andrew asked Allison.

"Why? Claire did it." There was a long pause as Andrew took in the new Allison, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." Andrew assured her, "It's just, you're so different. I can see your face."

Allison became slightly panicked but contained it well, "Is that good or bad?"

Andrew smiled slightly, "It's good."

...

The time it took for the clock to tick from 3:59 to 4:00 seemed more like an hour than a minute but when the minute hand did move, everyone grabbed their bags and waited outside the supply closet for Bender. Once Vernon had released him from the closet (where Vernon thought he'd been all day) the six walked to the exit of the school together. Carl stood, mop in hand, watching the group.

"See you, Brain." Carl said as Brian passed.

"See you, Carl." Brian returned.

"Tomorrow, Charity." Carl said to the girl who was walking behind Brian.

"Bye, Carl." She smiled.

"See you next Saturday." Bender beamed as he passed.

"You bet." Carl said.

As the group split up and went their separate ways, Charity wondered if she'd ever speak to these people again. Brian waved at the group as he stood by his father's car but Charity was too distracted by Allison and Andrew's joined hands to wave back. The two stood waiting for their parents and Charity waved goodbye to Brian as he drove away. Claire's father pulled up in the BMW and Claire waved.

"Walk you home?" Bender asked and Charity smiled slightly.

"Sure." She said.

As the two started across the football field, Bender slipped his hand into Charity's but unlike at lunch, he didn't let go. Charity told him what Brian had written in his essay, the words still clear in her head:

_'Dear Mr Vernon,_  
_We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice an entire Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong but we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling us who you think we are. You see us as you want to see us. In the simplest terms and most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each of us is brain and an athlete and a basket case, a princess, an artist and a criminal. Does that answer your question?_  
_Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club.'_

As Vernon read the note, he smiled slightly because he too had changed during the detention.

As they walked into the distance, the two teenagers smiled and Bender pumped his fist into the air.

**AN: The story hasn't finished yet. I'm gonna right some chapters about Monday.**


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13- Brian's Monday.

_Monday March 26th 1984. Shermer High School, Shermer Illinois._  
_Dear Mr Vernon, a lot has changed in the space of two days. Not only do we look at each other with different eyes, but we also realise that things are never what we first think. Maybe things will go back to normal today. Or maybe, we will have the courage to acknowledge each other and stand up for each other. After all, isn't that what friends are supposed to do? _

Brian had put this folded note into his pocket on Sunday night and that is where is was destined to stay. He had no intention of letting anyone- let alone the person whom the note was adressed to- see it. It existed only to give him hope that things might be different on the Monday following his detention. He hoped Claire had been wrong.

When Brian's mother dropped him off outside school on Monday, he was met with the Shermer High School he was accustomed to seeing; a crowded parking lot, students streaming towards the building and everyone sticking to the same groups they had always belonged to.

Brian knew it was stupid, but as he sat listening to his mother lecturing him, he couldn't hope but help that Allison would be stood near the car waiting for him to get out or Claire would wave him over from the doors or Andrew would drag Brian over to his jock friends and introduce him (and even more far fetched, they would actually accept him). However, when Brian closed the car door behind him, no one was waiting for him or waving at him, people just bustled around the parking lot towards the building. Brian sighed and entered the building and- knowing there were less than five minutes until the bell- went straight to his locker.

The corridors weren't crowded, at least not compared to the way they were when people were pushing to get through on their way to classes. There were only a handful of people in the hallway where Brian's locker was located and he recognised none of them. After sorting out the books he'd need for the day,  
Brian closed his locker and helped the note he'd kept as a good luck charm would work.

...

Brian was starting to give up hope of seeing any of his new friends by the time fifth period rolled around. He mooched along to maths and scanned the room, trying to find a good seat. That's when he caught sight of one of the faces he'd been hoping to see all day. The girl at the back of the classroom was Charity James and she was waving him over, just like he'd hoped somebody would since the start of the day. A new hope ignited inside him and Brian crossed the room to claim the seat next to Brian.

"I was hoping you'd get here soon." Charity said as more people filed in the doorway and claimed seats.

"Have you always been in my maths class?" Brian couldn't recall seeing the artist in any of his classes before but he'd never been looking for her in the past. He'd probably seen her a hundred times but hadn't noticed.

"Yeah," She nodded, "I didn't even remember you were in my maths until yesterday when I was trying to figure out what lessons I have with you guys."

Relief flooded through Brian and he was pleased that the situation was mutual. However, Brian's heart rate picked up again when a familiar redhead floated gracefully into the room. It was Claire and as far as Brian was concerned, this was the moment he'd been waiting for. Would Claire prove herself wrong or would she take the shitty option she'd mentioned? Or would she just plain ignore them?

Brian didn't take his eyes off the Princess as she tried to locate a good seat in the room. He hoped he'd meet her eyes and she'd know that she was welcome to sit with him and Charity. Claire glanced in the direction of the two and smiled, however she glanced at her rich friends who hadn't seemed to notice her yet. It took Claire a moment before she walked over to stand in front of Charity and Brian's desks.

"Hey." She greeted in hushed tones, sparing a glance to her friends.

"Hey, Claire." Charity smiled, noticing the way Claire's eyes kept darting to the richies.

"You wanna... Do you wanna sit with us?" Brian asked, nervous that the rich girl would laugh or mock him.

"Well, my friends are waiting for me but I'll talk to you guys later." Claire said, even though her friends had clearly not noticed her yet.

Brian sighed as he watched Claire join her friends.

"At least she acknowledged us," Charity infused, "It shows she cares."

"Yeah." Brian said but he couldn't hide the disappointment in his voice.

...

Brian sat with his physics club friends but his thoughts were occupied with the events of the day. He'd had shop class after maths, the only class he shared with John Bender, but Bender had been absent from the class meaning he was either cutting class or not in school at all.

"Brian!" His friend's voice snatched him from his thoughts and they had clearly been trying to get his attention for a while.

"What?" Brian asked.

"You coming to Physics Club tonight?" "Uh... Yeah, sure."

...

Brian's mother picked him up after Physics Club that evening and the school reflected the school he'd seen on Saturday; empty and souless but somehow it seemed different now, as though a hope for tomorrow was burning inside it. Brian joined his mother in the car, knowing she's ask if he had homework and knowing he wouldn't be doing anything but homework until it was finished.

Sometimes, it seemed like the school day never ended. Like he lived at school.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14- Charity's Monday

On Monday morning, Charity stood next to her locker, talking to her younger sister Jessica. Both noticed the looks that people gave Jessica as they passed but neither cared because they had finally thought of an answer to Jessica's problem. Their parents wouldn't like it but that didn't really matter at that point.

"Mom's gonna go crazy when she finds out." Jessica placed a hand over her stomach which was so far showing no signs of pregnancy.

"We'll worry about that later." Charity said.

...

Charity's first class of the day was art, a class she knew she shared with Allison. As expected, Allsion was sat aloone at the back of class. Charity approached, not wishing to sit alone like she had last art lesson.

"Hey, Allison, mind if I sit with you?"

Allison didn't speak but pulled out the chair next to her. It seemed that Allison had taken some of Claire's fashion advice but also kept some things her own way. She was wearing the same kinds of black clothes but she had her hair pushed back from her face and wasn't wearing as much eye makeup as she had on Saturday.  
It was quiet sitting next to Allison, they rarely spoke but the company was appreciated.

...

The day passed quickly from first period until lunch and apart from Allison, Charity only saw Brian. At lunch, she waited in the cafeteria line with her best friend, Elizabeth, and Jessica.

"God, school food is so crappy." Elizabeth sighed.

"Tell me about it," Jessica said, "The portion sizes suck."

The three paid for their food and then found a table amongst the crowds of hungry teenagers. The cafeteria at lunch was crowded and noisy with the occasional piece of food being flung around. The table the girls had selected was in a quieter corner of the cafeteria.

"So, how was Saturday detention?" Elizabeth asked.

"It was okay actually," Charity shrugged and upon noticing the look her best friend had given her, she added, "It just wasn't as boring as I thought it would be."

"So, who else went?" Jessica asked.

"Um... Andrew Clarke, Claire Standish-"

"Claire Standish got detention?" Elizabeth asked.

Charity ignored the comment, "Brian Johnson, John Bender and Allison Reynolds."

"Allison who?" Jessica asked.

"You won't know her, Jess. Liz, she's in our English."

"The weird, quiet one?" Jess asked.

"She's not weird, okay." Charity sighed.

...

After school, Jessica decided to walk home with one of her few remaining friends and Elizabeth went for a smoke with some other kids so Charity was left to walk home alone. She got halfway across the football field before a voice that had been familiar for just two days stopped her.  
"Want me to walk you home?"

Charity turned and saw John Bender walking towards her, a smile on his face. He looked exactly as he had on Saturday except for the small purple bruise that had formed at the corner of his eye.

"Sure." Charity said, not wanting to ask where the bruise had come from.

As they walked, they discussed the day that had passed and who from Saturday that had seen. Then the topic had jumped from everything from movies to a debate about the best flavoured potato chip. They jumped through topics so fast it was hard to keep track.

"So, Jessica decided about what to do with the baby." Charity said.

"Oh yeah?" Bender asked, interest in his tone.

"She's gonna keep it. If she ever tells Mom and Dad."

"They're gonna find out soon enough." Bender said.

The two were still locked in conversation when they reached Charity's street so they sat on the wall at the corner of the street, a few doors down from her house. It was out of view from her house so it wouldn't lead to demands of _'who's that boy?_' from her mother.

"So, they're showing _Children Of The Corn_ at the movies, would you wanna see it on Saturday?" Bender asked.

Charity felt a smile forming, "Okay."

Then, Bender did something completely unexpected; he kissed her. It wasn't at all like the kind of kiss she expected from John Bender. It was soft and sweet and it left a warm feeling in her stomach.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15- Allison's Monday

Allison's day started out like any other. She sat at the kitchen table, eating Cap'n Crunch and waiting in vain for her parents to acknowledge her existence. Being ignore by her parents didn't provide her with much hope for the rest of the day. If her parents didn't care then why would a bunch of people she'd met just two days ago?

Allison's mother drove her to school as usual that morning. Allison stared up at the building she spent five days a week in and started to open the car door.

"Allison," Her mother said and Allison froze, praying her mother would say something meaningful, "Your lunch."

Allison felt tears form in her eyes but she blinked them away as she accepted her lunch with a (fake) grateful smile. Allison watched as her mother drove away without even saying goodbye. For a few minutes, she just stood there, staring after the car.

"Allison?" A voice she'd been hoping to hear prompted her to turn around and she struggled to contain her excitement as Andrew Clark strolled towards her.

"Hi." She whispered even though he probably didn't hear.

Andrew kissed her cheek and smiled, "You look really nice."

"You think so?" Allison asked. She had gone back to her fashion choices but decided to take Claire's advice with her hair.

"Yeah, I can see your face but it's still you, you know. I can still see the same girl from Saturday detention."

"Good or bad?" She repeated her question from Saturday.

"Good." Andrew said with a smile.

They stood for a few seconds, scanning the parking lot until they saw some of Andrew's friends who, apparently, hadn't seen them.

"I understand if you want to go over to them." Allison muttered but she secretly hoped that Andrew would take her over and introduce her.

The bell sounded in school.

"Nah, I'll walk you to home room." Andrew offered his hand and Allison took it, glad that Andrew had chosen her. Even it was just for now.

...

Allison's first lesson of the day was art. She chose her usual seat at the back of the room where she could concentrate. She was just digging around in her bag for a pencil when Charity entered and smiled at her from across the room. Allison couldn't help but smile back.

"Hey, Allison, mind if I sit with you?" She asked.

Allison didn't know what to say. No one had ever asked to sit with her in class before and it felt good. She pulled out the chair next to her and Charity sat on it, placing her bag on the desk.

The two hardly spoke at all but it was a comfortable silence. Allison wondered whether to tell Charity about her run in with Andrew in the parking lot. She decided against it, wanting to keep it private and cherish it for a few more hours. She would tell Charity next time they had art together.

When the bell for second period, the two packed up together.

"Charity?" Allison asked and closed her bag.

"Hmm?" Charity said as she carefully packed her sketch pad into her backpack.

"You want to sit here next art lesson?"

Charity smiled, "I'd love to."

...

Being acknowledged by Andrew and Charity gave Allison faith that people cared about her after all. After the final bell rang, she walked through the halls and, although there was no one by her side, she didn't feel so alone any more. She knew she's have to walk home because her mother had a doctor's appointment but she didn't mind so much. In fact, she enjoyed her own company, it was the only company she had most of the time.

A wave a cool air washed over Allison as she crossed the threshold and stepped outside. The air had cooled since that morning but it was a nice breeze.

"Hey, Allison." Andrew's voice came from behind her.

"Hi again." She smiled.

"Good day?" He asked, "Did you... see anyone? From Saturday?"

"You and Charity," She said, before adding, "And I think Brian waved at me in the hall."

"Cool." Andrew said, "So-"

"Andrew!" A man shouted, leaning out of a car window, "Hurry up!"

"Just a minute, Dad!" Andrew called back.

Allison felt her spirits drop, she'd been hoping Andrew would walk with her.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." Allison said.

"Do you want a ride?" Andrew asked.

Allison cast a nervous glance at his father who seemed to be growing even more impatient, "Won't you dad mind?"

"I don't care." Andrew shrugged, wrapping an arm around her.

"Okay." Allison was a little scared of Andrew's dad but she was too happy to be with Andrew to care.


	17. Chapter 16

**AN: Sorry for not updating for a while. I've been weighed down with homework and I've had writer's block for this story. Thanks for your patience and enjoy reading.**

Chapter 16- Claire's Monday

Claire had spent the weekend terrified of what Monday would bring. She was so conflicted about what she should do. She desperatly wanted to talk to each person she had met on Saturday but what would her friends think? Would they laugh? She tried to tell herself that she didn't care what they thought but she knew it wasn't true, their opinions were everything and she had spent so long at the top of the high school higherarchy that being shoved to the bottom would be impossible to deal with.

Claire sighed as she walked to first lesson, keeping her head down and wishing there was a hole she could crawl into. She actually did a good job of keeping to herself as she travelled from home room to biology, however this couldn't last and she had barely put one foot through the door of her classroom before someone was vying for her attention.

"Claire!" She looked up to see who was calling her name and was met with the sight of Cheryl Allen, the most popular girl in the school. And Claire's best friend.

Cheryl was sat, surrounded by her followers, examining her perfectly manicured nails. She tossed her long, golden hair over her shoulder and smiled at Claire, a gleam in her ice blue eyes. Claire crossed and claimed a seat next to her.

"You missed a good day on Saturday, Claire," Cheryl started before Claire had even sat down, "We had so much fun, but it just wasn't the same without you there..."

Claire tuned out as Cheryl rambled on about the shopping trip that she'd missed on Saturday. Instead, she kept her eyes on the door, hoping none of her new friends would walk in and put her in a difficult situation. Luckily, no one did.

"Claire!" Cheryl snapped and Claire realised she'd been ignoring Cheryl.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" Claire asked.

"She was asking about your detention." Piped up Lisa, the dark haired, quiet member of the group. Claire knew that the only reason that Cheryl had allowed Lisa into their group was because Lisa was pretty and that could be a threat. By keeping Lisa close, Cheryl could keep an eye on her and make sure she wasn't overthrown as queen of Shermer High. Sometimes Claire wondered if that was the only reason Cheryl liked any of them.

"It wasn't too bad, but-" Claire started.

"Well, you missed a great day," Lisa interrupted with a boredom in her tone, "So what do you think of my new shoes?"

...

The rest of the day passed in pretty much the same way. Cheryl would talk conceitedly about her life and her boyfriend and then the group would gossip about the other girls in their classes. Main topics of conversation were who had broken up with who and who had 'stolen' who's boyfriend.

By the time fifth period rolled around, Claire wondered if her life had always been like this. She was expecting maths to go exactly like the four classes before it but she was wrong.

Horror and fear rushed through the red head as she entered the room and found herself staring straight at Brian and Charity. She knew they'd seen her but she tried to avoid meeting their eyes because she couldn't. She was ashamed of herself because she was taking the horrible option, she knew she should talk to them no matter what her friends thought but she was a coward. She risked a glance and saw Brian staring right at her, she smiled at him and then glanced over to where Cheryl was sat on a desk, her friends gathered around. None of them had noticed her yet so she approached the brain and the artist.

"Hey." She whispered.

"Hey, Claire." Charity greeted.

Claire wished that Charity wouldn't say her name because her friends might hear but she smiled any way.

"Do you wanna sit with us?" Brian muttered, clearly nervous.

Claire's heart broke in that second. She did want to sit with them, desperately but she didn't want to face the consequences of what that would bring.

"Well, my friends are waiting for me," Claire lied, "But I'll talk to you guys later."

Both smiled at her weakly as she retreated to the safety of her 'friends', hating herself even more with every step she took.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17- Andrew's Monday

The walls of the locker room hung with condensation from the showers as Andrew sat on the bench, taping up his knee. He had been to three lessons already and hadn't seen anyone from Saturday. With a sigh, Andrew finished taping his knee and leant back against the white tiled wall. That's when he notcied the skinny, pale boy a few lockers down.

Larry Lester.

Andrew hadn't expected to see him at wrestling practice so soon after what had happened but there he was, clear as day. The other guys were either whispering and laughing behind Larry or ignoring him completely.

"Leave him alone." Andrew ordered as some of the boys made a sarcastic comment about Larry.

All the attention was suddenly fixed on Andrew as he made his way over to where the boys were standing.

"You gonna make me, Clark?" Max Bennet asked, stepping closer to Andrew.

Andrew twirled the roll of tape he'd been using on his knee around his finger, "Yeah, I'm gonna make you."

Max stared at Andrew for a moment, anger rising in his eyes but he realised he was defeated and left the locker room with his friends behind him. Larry quickly looked away from Andrew, trying to hide the fear in his eyes.

"You didn't have to do that." He muttered.

"Yes I did," Andrew countered, "It's my fault they were picking on you in the first place... I know it's not gonna make much of a difference but for what it's worth, I'm sorry about what happened."

Larry managed a small smile, "It's cool, man."

When Andrew left the locker room moments later, he realised that it wasn't hurting people that would make him feel like he was worth something but helping people instead. Standing up for Claire in the library had made him feel good about himself and standing up for Larry in the locker room had built up a new pride that made him realise that he didn't need his dad to be proud of him, he just needed to be proud of himself.

...

Andrew ran into Claire during fourth period, she had just arrived in class and he approached her. She was glancing around the classroom nervously as though terrified of who might come through the door.

"Hey, Claire." He said.

Claire jumped slightly but seemed relieved when she saw it was him, "Hi, Andy."

"You okay?" Andrew asked, "You look a little shaky."

"I'm fine." Claire answered a little too quickly for Andrew to be convinced but he let the issue go.

Andrew was set to tell Claire about what had happened in the locker room when Cheryl called Claire over from the other side of the room.

"Coming!" Claire called over, "I'll see you later, Andy."

"Hi, Andy!" Cheryl called with a wave.

Andrew waved back at her as he watched Claire run like a dog to its master.

...

By the end of the day, Andrew's head was so full of the events of the day that he almost didn't notice Allison Reynolds stood in the parking lot. A warm feeling erupted inside Andrew as he remembered how he'd fallen for her on Saturday. He'd been keeping an eye out for her all day since he'd seen her in the parking lot and couldn't believe he'd had the good fortune to run into her twice in one day.

"Hey, Allison!" He called, trying to mask the excitement in his voice.

"Hi again."

"Good day?" He asked, noticing how pretty she looked with a mix of both her style and Claire's makeover, "Did you see anyone from Saturday?"

"You and Charity... oh and I think Brian waved at me in the hall."

"Cool." Andrew said but he wasn't really listening, instead he was trying to gather up the courage to ask Allison out.

"Andrew! Hurry up!" Andrew's dad was almost hanging out of the car window as he called his son over.

"Just a minute, Dad!" Andrew yelled but the moment of courage was gone and he was too scared to ask Allison out.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?" Allison said.

"Do you want a ride?" The words came out of Andrew's mouth before he even knew he was thinking them.

"Won't your dad mind?"

Andrew felt his new sense of pride swell up in his chest and he wrapped an arm around her, "I don't care."

It was true, Andrew didn't care what his father thought. Not anymore.


End file.
